February 15th

Numbers 19-21

19: 1-19 – Here we see something sacrificed being used later to cleanse and restore an unclean tent. Always remember- we think this stuff is kind of gruesome, but the people in these stories would have slaughtered animals, or at least would have seen someone else slaughter animals, literally every day. For them there’s nothing gruesome or unpleasant about it, it’s just a normal part of life.

20:3 – The Israelites always seem to recall events that they once complained about as better than their current circumstances. It most commonly is tied to lack of provisions or fear of danger. It’s also a tendency that we share today.

20: 6-13 – The older Israelite generation had already been forbidden from the Promised Land. Now, because he did not obey the Lord completely, Moses and Aaron are also forbidden. Moses was told to strike the rock once but he struck it twice. He also tried to take credit for what the Lord would do by providing water. He said, “Shall we bring water” when it was only the Lord’s work.

20: 28-29 – Even though the Israelites complained and rebelled a lot, clearly they loved Aaron.

21: 4-9 –The Israelites complain, God gets angry and punishes them, they cry out for mercy, and God offers mercy. These people just don’t learn- God must have be so frustrated with them. The more we read Numbers, the more I start to wonder how God restrained himself; had I been God, I’m not sure I could have been so merciful.